anderson



-H. T. ANDERSON.

DRAFT GEAR YOKE.

APPLICATlON FILED FEB. 26, I916. RENEWED APR. 24. 1919.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

FIG-9 44 5 {5 4 I i FIG-6 24 ITNESSES INVENTOR KWM a UNITED sTA'. r 1:s P a'rnnr OFFICE.

HARRY T. ANDERSON, OF GRAFTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HARRY VISSERING & COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DRAFT-GEAR YOKE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan, 27,1920;

Application filed February 28, 1916, Serial No. 89,615. Renewed April 24, 1919. Serial No. 292,422.

and useful Improvement in Draft-Gear Yokes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to draft gears for railway cars and more particularly to a yoke connecting the draft gear to the coupler. The Ul)]GCt of the invention is to provide a draft gear yoke of simple construction which can be readily and cheaply fabricated from: a single plate of wrought metah The 1nvention comprises the construction and ar, rangcment of parts hereinafter described and claimed. i

In the accompanyingdrawings Figure l is a plan View of the yoke shown in its relation to the draft gear and I draft beams, the latter being shown in horizontal section; Fig. 2 is in part a side view and in part a vertical longitudinal section of the yoke, showing the same in relation to the follower plates and lugs; Fig. 3 is a vertical trans verse section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section on the line M, Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a side view showinga modification; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section also showing a modification; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the plate or blank from which the yoke is fabricated, showing the same after the first operation; and Fig. 9 is a similar View of the same after the second operation.

In the drawings, 1 represents the draft beams or sills, which may be of the usual or any preferred form, being shown as rolled channel beams; 2 represents the rear draft lugs and 8 the front draft lugs riveted to the draft sills in the usual way; 4 represents the rear follower plate cooperating with the rear lugs Q; 5 represents the front follower plate cooperating with the front lugs 3; and 6 represents the coupler shank bearing against the front follower plate, all as usual in draft rigging.

The yoke is formed in three parts, the main portion being formed from a narrow wrought metal plate or blank, of substantiallythe shape shown by the outline in Fig. 8, and which is slit or slotted longitudinally ings for receiving a key or pin 12 for se ouring the'same to the coupler shank 6.1

Preferably the metal at theforward ends of" the eyes or-o'penings 11 is thickened or (arm bossed, as indicated at 13,' in order to more effectively take care of the wear. ,As shown, the central portion of the slit 10 is also widened out,- such as by punchingout a'portion of the metal, but this is unnecessary. Preferably shoulders 14 are provided near the ends of the blank, for a purpose herein-'- after described.

After beingslit the two members of the slit plate are spread apart to the form shown in, Fig; 9, of a width substantially equal to the height of the finished yoke, and with the two limbs substantially parallel throughout their length. This plate is then bent into substantially hairpin form, thus forming an upper pair 15, 15 and a lower pair 16, 16 of draft members, the two limbs of each pair being united by the narrow rear curved portion 17 and the limbs diverging from said narrow rear portion, with their united forward ends lying on opposite sides of the coupler shank, as shown in Fig. 1.

Between the rear ends of the upper and lower pairs of draft members is secured a column member 19, adapted to lie behind the rear follower plate 5 and forming the connection between the yoke and said follower plate. This column may be variously constructed. It is shown in the form of a casting which, between the upper and lower pairs of draft members, is of substantially the same cross dimensional form as the rear curved ends of the draft members, and having its upper and lower ends of reduced size to,,fit in the curved bent portions of the draft members. This formation provides shoulders 20 on the column which prevent the upper and lower draft members moving toward each other; and to prevent the draft members from spreading farther apart, said column 19 is provided at both ends with flanges or lips 21 which extend respectively above the upper draft member and below the lower draft member. In use, there is practically no tendency of the draft members moving toward each other and hence the modification shown in Fig. 7 may be employed. In this construction the column 19 is not provided with the shoulders 20, but in the upper and lower flanges or lips are extended in the form of hook members 21 which extend respectively above and below, and beyond the rear ends of the draft members and hook over the same. This modification prevents the rear ends of the pairs of draft members from spreading farther apart, and also holds the column member against accidental displacement. To insert this modified column, the rear ends of the upper and lower draft members must first be pressed toward each other and after the column member is shoved to place, allowed to spring apart into the hooked flanges 21.

The upper and lower draft members of eachpair extend parallel to each other to a point in advance of the front follower plate, and thenconverge to the point of keying the yoke to theeouple shank. To prevent these forward ends from collasping toward each other, a" suitable strut member 24 is placed between the inclined forward end of each leg of the yoke. This strut may be either a cast member, or of forging, preferably the latter, and is provided at its forward end with a cutaway portion 25 forming a portion of the slot through which the key or pin 12 extends. This strut may be secured in position in various ways, such for instance as by means of rivets 26 lying partly within the draft members and partly within the strut, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Preferably, however, the strut has a relatively thin web portion and wider edge portions, forming substantially flanges 27, which can be flanged or peened over to embrace the adjacent portions of the draft members, the corners of the latter being beveled off or otherwise reduced, as shown in Fig. 4, to permit of a thorough interlocking of the strut therewith. Endwise displacement of this strut is prevented by the shoulders 14.

Preferably the draft members near their forward ends are provided with shoulders 30 for contacting with the front follower plate 5, but this is not absolutely necessa as the rear end of the coupler shank wil abut against said follower plate and serve the same pu The yoke described is of very simple construction and is chea to fabricate, as its main portion is forme from-a narrow plate which is merel slit and spread apart to the proper heig t, practically without loss of metal. This draft yoke has wide openings between its upper and lower draft members through which the draft gear 31 can be inserted and removed. This draft glelar may be of any desired form, either 'ction or spring, and is held in position in the yoke by resting upon a saddle plate 32 seated upon the lower draft members 16, 16.

ends of both pairs lying on o posite sides of the coupler shank and unite and formed for connection to said shank, and a column member uniting the rear ends of said pairs of draft members and arranged to he be bind the rear follower plate.

2. A draft gear yoke comprising an upper and a lower pair of draft members, the members of each of said pairs being joined at their rear ends and having the forward ends of both pairs lying on opposite sides of the coupler shank and united and formed for connection to said shank, a column membcr uniting the rear ends of said pairs of draft members and arranged to lie behind the rear follower plate, and struts inserted between the forward ends of the upper and lower draft members and arranged to lie in front of the front follower plate and having their rear faces formed to contact against the front follower plate.

3. A draft gear yoke comprising an upper and a lower pair of draft members, the members of each of said pairs being joined at their rear ends and having the forward ends of both pairs lyin on opposite sides of the coupler shank an united and formed for connection to said shank, and a vertical column member interlocking with the rear ends of said draft members and arranged to lie behind the rear follower plate.

4. A draft gear yoke comprising an upper and a lower pair of draft members, the members of each of said pairs being joined at their rear ends and having the forward ends of both pairs lyin on opposite sides of the coupler shank an united and formed for connection to said shank, a vertical column member interlocking with the rear ends of said draft members and arranged to lie behind the rear follower plate, and strut members interlocked between the forward ends of said draft members and arranged to lie in front of the front follower plate and having their rear faces formed to contact against the front follower plate.

5. A draft gear oke comprising an upper and a lower pair 0 draft members, the members of each of said pairs being joined at their rear ends and having the forward ends of both pairs lyin on opposite sides of the coupler shank and united and formed for connection to said shank, a column member uniting the rear ends of said pairs of draft members and arranged to lie behind the rear follower plate, and strut members lying between the forward ends of the draft members and keyed thereto and arranged to lie in front of the front follower plate and having their rear faces formed to contact against the front follower plate.

6. A draft gear yoke comprising a onepiece wrought metal member having two legs continuous at the rear endof the yoke and having their forward ends arranged to lie on opposite sides of the coupler shank and formed for connection to said shank, each leg comprising an upper and a lower draft member spaced apart vertically, and a column member uniting the rear portions of said draft members and arranged to lie behind the rear follower plate.

. 7. A draft gear yoke comprising a onepiece wrought metal member having two legs continuous at the rear end of the yoke and having their forward ends arranged to lie on opposite sides of the coupler shank and formed for connection to said shank, each leg comprising an upper and a lower draft member spaced apart vertically, a column member uniting the rear portions of said draft members and arranged to lie behind the rear follower plate, and strut members between the forward ends of the upper and lower draft members and arranged to lie in front of the front follower plate, and having their rear faces formed to contact against the front follower plate.

8. A draft gear yoke comprising a one piece wrought metal member having two legs continuous at the rear end of the yoke and having their forward'ends arranged to lie on opposite sides of the coupler shank and 7 formed for connection to said shank, each leg comprising an upper and a lower draft member spaced apart vertically, a column member uniting the rear portions of said draft members and arranged to lie behind the rear follower plate, and strut members between the forward ends of the upper and lower draft members and keyed thereto and arranged to lie in front of the front follower plate, and having their rear faces formed to contact against the front follower plate.

9. A draft gear yoke comprising a onepiece wrought metal member having two legs continuous at the rear end of the yoke and having their forward ends arranged to lie on opposite sides of the coupled shank and formed for connection to said shank, each leg comprising an upper and a lower draft member spaced apart vertically, and a column member uniting the rear portions of said pairs of draft members and interlocking therewith to prevent spreading thereof and arranged to lie behind the rear follower plate.

10. A draft gear yoke comprising a onepiece wrought metal member having two legs continuous at the rear end of the yoke and having their forward'ends arranged to lie on opposite sides of the coupler shank and formed for connection to said shank, each leg comprising an upper and a lower draft member spaced apart vertically, a column member uniting the rear portions of said pairs of draft members and interlocking therewith to prevent spreading thereofand arranged to lie behind the rear follower plate, and strut members between the forward end of the upper and lower draft members and arranged to lie in front of the front follower plate, and having their rear faces formed to contact against the front follower plate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HARRY T. ANDERSON. Witnesses:

GLENN H. Znnnscmz, Sun B. Fnrrz. 

